Buttermilk Fried Chicken (or Cornish Game Hen)

I have been craving fried chicken ever since a Chick Fil A opened in my neighborhood. While everyone kept telling me to go eat there, and they even sent me a card for a free sandwich, fast food isn’t really my thing. But that’s not a problem, because fried chicken is one of the first things I learned to cook as a kid. There’s nothing fancy about this technique – use a simple dry-wet-dry coating and then fry it up. I had a rather large game hen in my freezer that I cut into parts to use, but any pieces of chicken or other poultry will work. Starting the process by frying in a skillet and finishing in an oven let’s some of the fat drip off and also takes the guesswork out of knowing when it’s done. I’m guessing you’ll be happy if you give into this craving once in a while – I certainly was!

1 cup buttermilk (or whole milk works fine I found if you don't have buttermilk

Cooking oil (I used canola)

Instructions

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika in a bag or bowl. Toss chicken pieces in the seasoned flour and shake off excess. Dip floured pieces in the buttermilk, then coat in more flour. If you want a thicker crust, dip again in buttermilk and again in flour. Lay pieces in a single layer on a cutting board or plate.

Add oil to a skillet to a depth of an inch and heat until some flour dropped in the oil sizzles. Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly golden brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a rack over a baking sheet and place in a 350 degree oven. Continue to cook until the meat temperature reaches 160 degrees.